Editor’s Notes: San Diego Fires, Day 4

Editor’s notes from today. Trying to get some work done in the middle of a firestorm.

*Frustrated sitting here just a few miles from Qualcomm Stadium and not being needed- a little like missing Woodstock. As earlier reported, the atmosphere their was said to be almost festive this afternoon- complete with Jazz bands, ethnic food sharing, massage tables, etc. Sure that getting stuck there too long would be no picnic, and of course a tragedy for those who lost their homes, but somehow it seems like something historic is going on.

*Why is the Military taking so long to respond again? I thought they would have been a bit chastised by their performance four years ago. I have heard some rogue Air Force Colonel in Colorado had to order some of his aircraft on a “training mission” to California to justify getting them here, but not sure if this is true.

*KPBS- the public radio- and TV station knocked off the air- lines feeding its transmitter were burned in the Harris Fire on Mount San Miguel. UPDATE: They are broadcasting on FM 94.9 (KBZT-FM), which volunteered to air KPBS radio’s news programming in place of its usual musical lineup

*Texas based Clear Channel Communications may be using the emergency as an excuse to shut down Progressive Radio Station KLSD – they own practically the entire radio spectrum here- and in TJ. They had far right conservative Roger Hegcock broadcasting on the Progressive station’s dial number. Will their reestablish their former “all right wing, all the time” format? Need to check into this later.

*Congressman Duncan Hunter- long in bed with the Military, may finally have done something useful- he seemed to have cut through some bureaucracy and got 14 military fire-fighting helicopters and 5 C-130 military planes deployed.

*Global media coverage is so intense that everyone seems to be reporting frantic relatives repeatedly calling who can’t believe we haven’t all burned to death. Firestorms make for great media visuals.

*Firefighters here have been heroes as usual- and they seem to getting very skilled at setting backfires- and fighting fires in coordination with aircraft. The area burned is huge, and the real story is how many houses they are saving. Whole firestorms seem to be passing through some neighborhoods where they are somehow saving many of the houses.

*Huge helicopters pounding the fires now, finally- seems almost choreographed- like a ballet dance. I haven’t seen a C-13o but they are said to be huge and fly very low- and douse a quarter mile swath or retardant in one swoop. That’s why they need the evacuations- so they can fight the fire with these things without snuffing out people too.

*Just turned on TV and heard Governor Schwarzenegger- he is staying engaged- and seems to be promising to help everyone, but also stressed the need for insurance. Reminded us that he mobilized 1500 National Guard, said the fires moved so fast they became quickly overwhelmed. He’s staying on this one.

*I’m proud of my city for the “full court press” nature of the response, but the politicians seem to be hot dogging it a bit. Not so much a “fight for the microphone, as it is a orgie of self congratulations.

**Idea for future Tourism Campaign: “Don’t be shy about coming- every thing is San Diego that could burn, has burned!”.